Your first glimpse of the next Walking Dead includes Rick trying to explain himself to the others — and it doesn't look good. But also, this week's TV includes the beginning of the Christmas-themed TV movies — including one where Carrie Fisher is a cranky ghost. Meanwhile, Adventure Time is back, and trippier than ever. Learn the history of Mankind! (The disco group, we're guessing.)

Check out loads of clips and details from this week's television, right here!

Today:

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Adventure Time (7:30 PM, Cartoon Network):
Am I the only one who's sort of freaking out about this? It's the season five opener of Adventure Time, and it's looking as though reality itself is going to be shattered. And after we've already seen what the Ice King's crown did to Simon, what exactly is it going to do to Jake? Check out a clip, and here are the descriptions for tonight's two new episodes:

"Finn the Human" – Finn and Jake chase the Lich through a portal, leading them to a wishmaster named Prismo. "Jake the Dog" – Jake and Prismo watch from the portal as the Ice King's crown makes Finn more and more powerful.

That's followed by a new Regular Show.

Revolution (10 PM, NBC):
That didn't take long — now that everybody knows about the magic pendant, it's already becoming a huge liability, and Nora's sister may be the one to pay the ultimate price.

NORA MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN FAMILY AND A PROMISE - KIM RAVER ('GREY'S ANATOMY') GUEST STARS - When Nora (Daniella Alonso) encounters a close relative, she must make a difficult choice between family and a promise. Meanwhile, one of the most ruthless members of the Militia is tracking Miles (Billy Burke), Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) and the gang and General Monroe (David Lyons) hands Captain Neville (Giancarlo Esposito) a stern warning.

Also on TV tonight: A new episode of Crash & Bernstein on Disney XD at 8:30 PM. And a new Castle on ABC at 10 PM.

Tuesday:

Mankind: The Story of All of Us (9 PM, History Channel):
A brand new science miniseries dealing with the whole history of the human race. Says host Josh Brolin, whose role in Jonah Hex is somehow not mentioned in the press release:

This ambitious television series captures the complex nature of man. How we as a species succeeded, shaped the world and thrived against all odds... HISTORY has always been committed to developing superb productions, combined with compelling educational programs that strive to inspire people to learn more about our world.

Also on TV tonight: There's a new Amazing World of Gumball at 7 PM on Cartoon Network, followed by a new Level Up! at 7:30 and a new Looney Tunes Show at 8 PM. Plus a new Doomsday Preppers on National Geographic at 9 PM.

Wednesday:

Dragons: Riders of Berk (8 PM, Cartoon Network):
This show is also back! Check out a brand new clip, and here's what it's all about:

"Heather Report Part 1" – Hiccup and the gang befriend a beautiful stranger who has a dangerous secret.

Arrow (8 PM, The CW):
This show is officially The CW's biggest hit in a few years, and we're celebrating with a Royal Flush... the Royal Flush Gang, that is.

THE ROYAL FLUSH GANG INVADES STARLING CITY - A gang of bank robbers, dubbed The Royal Flush Gang, hits a local bank and seriously wounds an off-duty police officer during a heist. Diggle (David Ramsey) tells Oliver (Stephen Amell) he needs to deviate from his father's list and start helping the citizens of Starling City. Meanwhile, Tommy (Colin Donnell) asks Thea (Willa Holland) for relationship advice, but things get awkward when she realizes he was asking about Laurel (Katie Cassidy). Moira (Susanna Thompson) confronts Oliver about all of his recent disappearances in the middle of family functions.

"Thanksgiving is for the Bird-Kersees" - Debbie wants her family's first Thanksgiving at their new home to be different from Thanksgivings past, so she convinces Marty to un-invite his parents and decides to invite Larry, Jackie, Reggie and Dick over for the holiday instead. Unfortunately, despite his promise to Debbie, Marty caves to parental pressure and confirms his mother and father will be on hand for Turkey Day. Meanwhile, after learning the meaning of the holiday, Dick secretly invites Jackie's estranged sisters, Venus and Serena, to make an appearance. Thanksgiving Day is anything but normal with the crazy alien neighbors, alien and human in-laws, and the Weavers all under one roof.

Supernatural (9 PM, The CW):
We're finally getting back to the season's main non-Wincest-related arc, with the reappearance of the Tran clan. And Castiel!

Nova (9 PM, PBS):
First there's "Ultimate Mars Challenge": "Witness the exhilarating moments of Curiosity's Mars landing - and the spectacular discoveries afterward." Then on Nova ScienceNow, it's "What Will the Future Be Like?": "Hear David Pogue's predictions about which technologies will transform life for you - and your grandkids."

Also on TV tonight: A new Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu on Cartoon Network at 7:30 PM. Plus two new episodes of Alien Surf Girls on Teennick at 9 PM.

Thursday:

The Vampire Diaries (8 PM, The CW):
This show is continuing to burn through plot developments at a pace that would give most TV execs heartburn. (Can you imagine if Julie Plec and company were working on Revolution? Half the adults would be dead, and Charlie would already be sleeping with Giancarlo Esposito's kid.) And I'm actually quite excited to see where this goes with Jeremy:

ELENA'S NEW NIGHTMARE - Terrifying hallucinations leave Elena (Nina Dobrev) shaken and confused, causing her to make a dangerous mistake. After giving Stefan (Paul Wesley) some very disturbing news about Elena, Klaus (Joseph Morgan) takes matters into his own hands. Professor Shane (guest star David Alpay) reveals a story of ancient witchcraft to Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Bonnie (Kat Graham). With help from Klaus and Stefan, Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) begins a new chapter in his life. Finally, Elena makes a painful personal confession to Stefan, and Matt (Zach Roerig) gives Damon startling new information about Professor Shane.

Person of Interest (9 PM, CBS):
I have a feeling the "unlikely source" they turn to for help is going to be one of the FBI agents, which could be interesting.

"Critical" - The Machine gives Finch and Reese the number of a brilliant surgeon, but they soon discover that a resourceful third party has raised the stakes for this POI, forcing them to turn to an unlikely source for help.

After she's seemingly stood up by Vincent (Jay Ryan), Catherine (Kristin Kreuk) wonders if it's because he saw her kissing Evan (Max Brown) at her birthday. Actually, Vincent mysteriously blacked out on his way to meet Catherine, and is now searching for answers. Catherine's case pulls her into the sophisticated world of the SoHo art scene. When Vincent finds Catherine all dressed up to go to a gallery opening — with Evan — he has to admit that his feelings for her are growing deeper. All the while Evan makes his affections for Catherine known, leaving Catherine torn between the two very different suitors.

Last Resort (9 PM, ABC):
I have pretty high hopes for this episode, since it was written by two acclaimed novelists, Nick Antosca and Ned Vizzini. Fingers crossed!

"Nuke It Out" - As Marcus and Sam hunt for the traitor in their ranks who stole their nuclear launch key, Prosser disobeys orders and starts a small war he can't control. Meanwhile Grace and James must work together to defuse a dangerous situation, as back in D.C. Christine is indicted as Sam's co-conspirator.

Also on TV tonight: There's a new episode of Mad on Cartoon Network at 8. Plus a new Big Bang Theory on CBS, also at 8 PM. And then the two-hour premiere of Burn Notice on USA at 9 PM. And a new Elementary on CBS at 10.

Friday:

Tron Uprising (7:30 PM, Disney XD):
Mara's being put on the spot, in "We Both Know How This Ends":

While Able is away on a mysterious trip, Mara is put in charge of the Garage and must prove her leadership skills when Pavel orders her to complete a nearly impossible task. If she fails, every one of her co-workers, including Beck and Zed, will be sent to The Games. Able's trip reveals a previously unknown relationship between Able and a powerful figure on the Grid.

That's followed by a brand new Motorcity at 8:30.

Fringe (9 PM, Fox):
Looks like the "Peter's head is all jacked up with Observer tech" storyline is racing forward pretty fast — and Olivia is already suspecting that something is up. And meanwhile, Peter is using his new edge to wreak some more havoc. Should be fun!

Grimm (9 PM, NBC):
It's the wrath of Adalind! From Hell's heart, yadda yadda. Oh, and this is the midseason finale, already, thanks to some episodes airing in August.

Adalind (Claire Coffee) returns to wreak havoc in everyone's lives and avenge her mother's brutal death. She has her eyes set on Nick (David Giuntoli) and those closest to him - especially Hank (Russell Hornsby) and Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch). Elsewhere, Captain Renard's (Sasha Roiz) obsession continues to escalate. Meanwhile, a surprise visit at the spice shop gives Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) more than he ever bargained for.

Haven (10 PM, Syfy):
Check out a sneak peek from this brand new episode, at left. Yay, we're doing a time travel episode!

Duke gets taken back to 1955; Nathan tries to find a way to rescue Duke from the past and to set things right in the present.

Also on TV tonight: At 10 PM, Nicktoons has a brand new Monsuno, followed by a new Dragon Ball GT.

Saturday:

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (9:30 AM, Cartoon Network):
More David Tennant? Don't mind if we do. In "Bound for Rescue," "The younglings attempt to rescue Ahsoka from Hondo's pirates."

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (10 AM, The Hub):
It's the "Enemy Within" episode. Sort of. In "Too Many Pinkie Pies": "Overwhelmed with making the difficult decision to choose just one friend to spend time with, Pinkie Pie avoids making the choice by using a magic mirror pond to clone herself. Her plan goes awry when she cannot keep track of all the duplicates." Incredibly short clip at left.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (11 AM, Nickelodeon):
In "The Gauntlet," "After April receives a warning from her imprisoned father, she and the Turtles embark on a mission to save him and stop The Kraang from detonating a mutagen bomb in the city."

Matchmaker Santa (8 PM, Hallmark):
Yes, it's already the time of year when completely inappropriate and brain-melting holiday programming starts to dominate your screens. And this sounds like a major doozy:

Santa Claus can work in mysterious ways. Not only does he deliver toys to all the world's children on Christmas Eve, which keeps him busy enough; he also sometimes needs to play cupid to make sure that certain romances happen. We learn all of this and plenty more in "Matchmaker Santa," a Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere on Saturday, November 17 (8p.m. ET/PT, 7C). It stars Lacey Chabert ("Mean Girls," "Party of Five") as a bakery owner named Melanie Hogan, who is using her lovebird parents as her role models in crafting her own romantic tale for the holidays. Things seem to be moving along just fine on the Prince Charming front as Melanie is dating a very hunky CEO named Justin (Thad Luckinbill, "Keeping Up With the Randalls"). And engagement appears to be just around the corner when Justin invites her to stay at his opulent upstate lake house and meet his mom. What Melanie doesn't know is that Justin is merely using her as arm candy to impress his corporate cohorts. Meanwhile, Justin's assistant Dean (Adam Mayfield, "All My Children") harbors a secret crush on Melanie, and that's when magic intervenes in the form of a mysterious mall Santa (Donovan Scott, "Police Academy") who looks so much like the real St. Nick that, well, maybe he is. And he's determined to make Melanie's lifelong Christmas wish come true. We're rooting for the right guy to win this lady's heart in "Matchmaker Santa." We're also treated to terrific supporting work from TV legends John Ratzenberger ("Cheers") and Florence Henderson ("The Brady Bunch"), who lend enchantment to a film that verifies something we all have long known: love is way better at holiday time.

Also on TV today: A new Ben 10: Omniverse on Cartoon Network at 9 AM. New episodes of Robot and Monster and Power Rangers on Nickelodeon starting at 12:30 PM. A brand new Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters at 2 PM on The Hub. Also, a new R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series on The Hub at 6 PM.

Sunday:

Animation Domination (7:30 PM, Fox):
More episodes of Fox's animated sitcoms, including a new American Dad in which Roger becomes Stan's stepdad.

It's Christmas, Carol! (8 PM, Hallmark):
More terrible holiday-themed TV movies? Why, yes. Cherish these opportunities for drinking games. This time around: a retelling of A Christmas Carol, except instead of Scrooge, the main character is... Carol. It's a pun. Or something. And it guest stars Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher!

Emmanuelle Vaugier is Carol Huffman, a ruthless Chicago book publisher and not what anyone would call a nice woman. Her staff can't stand the sight of this workaholic Scrooge. In fact, Fred (Carson Kressley), one of her employees, is trying to rally the staff to revolt. Against this backdrop of seasonal gloom,Carol is shocked to run into her old boyfriend from 15 years before, Ben (Tygh Runyan, "SGU Stargate Universe"), a decent guy who craved a life rather than simply a career. Their meeting ends with Carol storming off in a huff. But as she's trying to re-gather her wits, she suddenly finds herself staring at the ghost of the publishing house's beloved and very much deceased founder, Eve (Carrie Fisher). Now, she can't get away, because Ghost Eve is determined to take Carol on a little journey back through her past, as well as her present and future. Don't you just hate when that happens? Well, Carol hates it, too, particularly when she can't defend all of the misery she's left in her wake. The good news is that after hanging with the ghost, Carol emerges determined to make amends beginning Christmas morning. Might she wind up happier? Could she find true love? Why, you bet your Bob Cratchit!

The Walking Dead (9 PM, AMC):
Sneak peek at left! I love how the description for this week's episode just says "RIck struggles," as if that's all you need to know.

"Hounded" - As Andrea grows closer to The Governor, Michonne makes a decision about Woodbury. Glenn and Maggie go on a run. Rick struggles.

Robot Chicken (Midnight, Adult Swim):
This week's "method of death" episode title is "Collateral Damage in Gang Turf War," but there's no other info out there. And then that's followed by a new Superjail!.

Also on TV today: There's a new Winx Club on Nickelodeon at 1 PM. And a brand new Mythbusters on Discovery at 8 PM. And most excitingly, a new Dog With a Blog at 8 PM on Disney.